Wire-grip.



UNITED Y STATES Patented September 29, 1903. a

, PATENT OFFICE.

WIRE-Lean.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ratent no: 740,130, dated September 29, 1903.

Application filed December 11, 1902. Serial No. 134,818. (No model.) I

.To all whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOWARD D. HAZARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yakima, in the county of Yakima and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Grips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wire-grips, the object being to provide a simple mechanism for tightly yet removably gripping the wire automatically; and it consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a portion of a fence with my improved mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one form of wire-grip, the cover-plate being removed. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical cross-section through line 00 0c of Fig. 2, the coverplate being shown applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wire-grip, the coverplate being removed; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of gripping member with the cover-plate removed.

' A represents a bar, preferably of hard wood.

To this several wire-grips 1 l are attached by means of chains 2 2 or equivalent flexible connections, these grips corresponding. in number with the number of wires to be simultaneously stretched, there being one forv each wire. The grips may be variously constructed, but in the preferred form comprise a plate 4, having guides 5 and a slot 5 in its rear for the wires which extend through the grips, and a pair of eccentrically pivoted jaws 6 6, which are adapted to 'holdthe wire between them with increasing rigidity as tensile strain is applied to them. Secured to this plate is a cover-plate 4, which may be removably fastened to the projecting guides 5 5 and to therear of, plate 4, and this plate 4 forms one Wall of the slot 5, through which the wire passes, the wire being received and confined between the two plates 4 4', the guides5 5, and the gripping-jaws 6 6. The plate 4 may be skeleton, as 'sh'own-'that is to say, it may consist of a, nose 14, which carries thereon the raised spaced guides 5 5 and the apertured frame 15. The interior plane of the nose is lower than the plane of the frame, the guides 5 5 projecting outward or upward therefrom and having their upper surfaces on a plane with the surface of the frame and providing a level seat for the coverplate, whereby space is left between plates4 and 4' at the nose for the reception of the jaws 6 6 and permitting movement thereof. In other words, the frame is stepped or raised above the nose, the thickness of the-frame being greater than that of the nose. These plates 4 may be attached directly to the chains 2 2,as shown in Fig. 2, or in a slightly dilferent way, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which rods 7 7, pivoted to the jaws, come together at the rear and are connected with the chains. Of course other slight modifications might be made.

. From the barA equalizing devices, such as chains or equivalent flexible connections 9 9, extend, they being detachably connected to the bar by .means of hooks 1O 10. These equalizing devices converge to a common point, where they are connected by a ring 11 and swivel 12.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form'and arrangement of the several parts described without departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A wire-grip comprising a skeleton baseplate provided with a cut-away portion, spaced guides and gripping means located upon this cut-away portion, the base -plate provided with a groove, located in alinement with the gripping means and the space between the guides, a cover-plate superposed upon the base-plate, the guides and gripping means, and means for connecting the wire-grip with any suitable draft mechanism.

2. A gripping means comprising a baseplate, a portion of which is cut away, spaced guides located on the cut-away portion, the base-plate provided with a slot located approximately in alinement with the 'space between the guides, grippers located between the slot and the guides, a cover-plate, secured to the base-plate, the ends of the grippers excover plate inclosing the guides, slot and grippers, the grippers engaging the material to be stretched.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 15 specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD D. HAZARD. I

Witnesses:

J EFFIQRSON D. HARGIS, JOHN BOATMAN. 

